Ronald Reagan

“ Let us as Americans look once again to our commitment to implement fully the human rights and humanitarian provisions of the Helsinki Accords, because these freedoms are fundamental to our way of life. Let us pledge ourselves once again to do everything in our power so that all men and women may enjoy them in peace. ”

“ Human rights and fundamental freedoms lie at the heart of the commitments made in the Helsinki Accords of 1975 and in the Madrid Concluding Document of 1983. These documents set forth a clear code of conduct, not only for relations among sovereign states, but also for relations between states and their citizens. They hold out a beacon of hope for those in the East who seek a freer, more just, and more secure life. ”

“ It visibly manifests the success of joint U.S.-West European efforts to utilize CSCE as a major forum for discussions on human rights.
The United States delegation will work tirelessly to achieve meaningful results at this assembly, which discusses an issue of great concern to this Nation. ”